31/12/2025
As the year comes to a close, I’ve been looking back—not just at what happened, but at how it unfolded.
Five years ago, I started writing Once Upon a Balance Sheet. I thought the book would be printed by the end of 2024. The plan felt reasonable. The timeline felt manageable.
That wasn’t how it turned out.
In January 2025, I found out that my publisher had gone bankrupt. What I was left with was a single PDF. No source files. No editable manuscript. No clear path forward. For a while, it genuinely felt like the book might never exist in the form it was meant to.
That was a hard moment.
What kept me going was a clear obligation to see it through.
Readers had been writing in. Subscribers on my list were asking when the book would be ready. People had been waiting for it. I also had senior leaders, respected academics, CEOs, legal professionals, and board-level figures—including chairpersons and independent directors—who had lent their names and reputation to the book through testimonials. These are individuals entrusted with leadership, governance, and judgment at the highest levels. Their belief in the work created a level of accountability I could not step away from.
So I kept going.
Page by page. Line by line. Word by word. My wife stepped in as my editor, and together we took on roles we never expected to—publisher, proofreader, project manager, and everything in between. It was painstaking work. Often tiring. Sometimes overwhelming. But it was the only way forward.
On 7 November 2025, Once Upon a Balance Sheet was released globally on Amazon.
What followed took me by surprise.
People reached out to help with publicity and social media announcements. Many asked where they could buy the book and offered to purchase copies immediately. Others invited me onto podcasts and conversations, helping the ideas in the book reach audiences far beyond what I could have done alone. Many also shared it onward within their organisations and networks, allowing the book to travel organically.
Because of that collective support, Once Upon a Balance Sheet became an Amazon #1 Hot New Release and an Amazon Best Seller.
I’m grateful for the outcome, but even more so for the people who helped carry the book there.
My wife and I also hosted Balance Sheet Night, not knowing what to expect.
What we experienced was encouragement, generosity, and people showing up simply to be there. Even now, the journey continues. People I have never met have recommended the book on their own initiative, from as far away as Pakistan. That still means a great deal to me.
This year also marked the introduction of Count Jargon®, the world’s first finance plushie—a character from the book, conceived as part of my work as a Singaporean author and educator.
He exists to turn jargon into joy and to remind people that finance doesn’t need to feel intimidating to become clear. In many ways, Once Upon a Balance Sheet became the gateway to what I call the Financial Storyverse®—probably the happiest place to learn finance.
I also want to acknowledge the clients who work with me and place their confidence in the programmes we run together. Supporting the learning and development of people within organisations carries real responsibility—not just to teach, but to help people achieve meaningful results. I’m grateful for the opportunity to support individuals in building confidence, making better decisions, and progressing more effectively in both their careers and personal lives.
The same applies to my students at the National University of Singapore. Teaching there continually reinforces that learning only matters when it leads to growth, sound judgment, and better choices beyond the classroom.
I’m equally grateful to my family for their patience, understanding, and support through what has been a demanding, challenging, and deeply fulfilling year. Their presence and steadiness made more of this possible than they may realise.
When I reflect on the year, what stands out most is not the milestones themselves, but the people behind them. Those who believed early. Those who waited patiently. Those who stepped in when things fell apart. And those who continue to walk alongside the work, even now.
Thank you for being part of this journey. I wish you and your loved ones a meaningful close to the year, and my very best wishes for 2026—a year filled with clarity, growth, and blessings in both your work and your life.
